He started to climb in 1996, and winter climbing quickly became his passion. The first high mountaineering expedition he took a part in – to Chan Tengri (6995 metres), a mountain on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – was organized by the Warsaw Mountaineering Club in 2001. Yet his career in the highest mountains began with a winter K2 (8611 metres) expedition in 2002/2003. He went there as a greenhorn, but did well setting up Camp IV at 7650 metres with Denis Urubko. So far it is the highest point ever reached in winter on that second highest mountain in the world.